... of a former Random Ranter.

Well, the big day is here. No, I'm not talking about the election results... well in a way I am ..... but rather my first political post. God knows I thought that would be improbable but here I am. Happy that the for the first time, the party that I voted, in my first ever election has returned to power. So congratulations Dr. Singh and Mrs. Gandhi. You have our faith for the next five years.

But more than a victory for the UPA, today is marked by the fact that common sense prevailed over senseless rhetoric and that results of the past are held higher than promises for the future. Everyone would have a reason for why he/she voted for the UPA. The poor farmers would probably have been grateful for the loan waivers. The rural poor would have been impressed by the NREGA. But for me personally it was the nuclear deal. It clearly showed that the UPA government had the foresight to work towards India's energy security rather than beef up our nuclear security deterrent and that it was willing to sacrifice itself for the country's future. And in India where an average politician would sell his soul to the devil to stay in power, a government willing to risk its survival just to see an international agreement go through is enough to warrant it sainthood.

The BJP must be banging its head on the wall trying to fathom the reason for their dismal performance. But is it really that hard to understand? Who wants a party which has a multiple prime minister theory, similar to Boka-naan's multiple captain theory. The KKR is ample proof that such theories don't work! Plus a campaign that only focusses on the negatives of the previous goverment rather than highlight a manifesto with a roadmap for the future is hardly a good way to garner votes. I used to be a BJP supporter. I used to admire Atal Behari Vajpayee and was massively dissappointed when the NDA lost in 2004. Today is a different story for the BJP. AB Vajpayee is gone and what he has left behind are a bunch of infighting, angry "young" (read old, very very old!) men who are not even sure of their Hindutva identity any more.

As for the Left, I must say I have a soft corner for Prakash Karat and his comrades. I don't agree with their idealogy and hated it when they threatened to topple to goverment over the nuclear deal. I think its really sad what they allowed to happen in Nandigram and Singur and perhaps thats why they are paying for their mistakes.

Well, those were my two bits on the topsy turvy results of the Lok Sabha Elections 09. So here's hoping Dr.Singh carries India further forward in the next five years than he did in the last five.